Lesion distribution in children with clinically isolated syndromes.

Abstract

We evaluated the incidence, volume, and spatial distribution of T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging lesions in 58 children with clinically isolated syndromes at risk for multiple sclerosis compared with 58 adults with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis. Pediatric patients with clinically isolated syndromes who had brain lesions had supratentorial lesion volumes similar to adult multiple sclerosis patients, but greater infratentorial lesion volumes (p < 0.009), particularly in the pons of male patients. The predilection for infratentorial lesions the pediatric patients with clinically isolated syndromes may reflect immunological differences or differences in myelin, possibly related to the caudorostral temporal gradient in myelin maturation.